Andrew James Ley

Age 75, of Dedham and Nantucket, MA passed away suddenly on October 20, 2020. Beloved husband of Carol Searle, devoted Dad and “Advisor-in-law” to Morgan and his wife Deirdre Ryan of Wayland, MA; Brooke Matarese and her husband James of Dover, MA; Whitney Jackson and her husband Adam of Concord, MA; and to Haven and her husband Will Wilson of Seattle, WA; and “Pop Pop” to his nine grandchildren, Neve, Aine, Keira, Andrew, Charlotte, Henry, Oscar, Eliot and Harper, who loved him fiercely.

Drew is predeceased by his parents Douglas and Ruth Ley of Belmont, MA and sister Kristie “Duckie” Ley of Winchester, MA.

Born in Boston in 1945, Drew attended Belmont High School and later Dartmouth College, graduating with his AB in Government in 1967. He memorably served as Social Chairman of Chi Phi, fine tuned his study skills at Dragon Senior Society and exercised a bit on the rugby pitch.  He committed to Marine Corps ROTC and joined the active service the year of his graduation, serving proudly as a naval aviator stationed throughout the US and Japan. He married his first wife, Susan Dearborn (Wilde), in 1969 and returned to Massachusetts to serve in the Marine Corps Reserve until his retirement in 1991 at the rank of Colonel and Commanding Officer (CO) at South Weymouth Naval Air Station, home of Marine Attack Squadron 322 (VMA-322 Fighting Gamecocks).

In 1975, Drew graduated with his JD from Boston University School of Law, then selectively and sequentially joined the Boston offices of Goodwin Proctor LLP, McDermott Will & Emery LLP, and Jager Smith LLP, where he was Partner for over 23 years leading the commercial real estate practice. He concluded his law career as Of Counsel with Ley & Young, LLP.

Following his retirement from the Marines Corps Reserve, Drew traded his joy of flying A-4 Skyhawks for racing Porsche 911’s. He and Carol were active members of the Porsche Club of America, where Drew was past President of the Northeast Chapter. Together, they spent many fall weekends organizing and driving in road rallies throughout New England.

He was deeply committed to civic engagement serving on the Greater Boston Advisory Board for the Salvation Army for over 20 years and was a Life Trustee to the U.S.S. Constitution Museum. He was a longtime supporter of the Smithsonian Institute, and the Marine Corps Aviation Association.

Drew’s devotion to Nantucket began in 1953 when his father purchased a cranberry-canning cottage on the corner of Nonantum Ave and Uncatena St, which along with six other houses comprised the beginning of Surfside neighborhood. Nearly 70 years later, after countless toes-up dips in the ocean, neighborly cocktails and jaunts to Great Point, the cottage remains as it was (except for an upgrade from a 21” to 24” stove) - a place of rest and memory for Drew, Carol and their extended family. Drew served on the Board of The Surfside Association and enjoyed supporting The Great Point Circle initiative.

Some of his other many and varied interests and talents included: enjoying Boston Symphony Orchestra concerts; pursuing phantom bluefish while surfcasting from Fisherman’s Beach; a sardonic and dry wit;  a love of books and contemplation; captivating and tedious magic tricks; a stop-in-your tracks whistle and eye brow raise; Mount Gay rum; and hosting an annual Christmas Eve celebration pinned for each and every year by his adoring family.

Given the suddenness of his passing and COVID restrictions, the family will plan a future memorial service to celebrate, reminisce and roast Drew.

Semper Fi